1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ice making machine, and more particularly, to an ice making machine, in which a surface or surfaces of an ice making section are covered with a material having an antibacterial property.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automatic ice making machines for continuously manufacturing cubic-shaped ices, ice sheet of predetermined thickness, flake-shaped ice pieces or the like in large quantity are properly used depending upon application in various industrial fields. Known as the ice making machines for manufacturing cubic ice pieces are injection type ice making machines, for example, (1) so-called closed cell type ones, in which a multiplicity of cubic-shaped freezing cells partitioned in a freezing chamber to open downwardly are free to be closed from below by a water pan, and an ice making water is injected into the respective freezing cells from the water pan so as to gradually make cubic ice pieces in the freezing cells, and (2) open cell type ones, in which an ice making water is supplied directly into a multiplicity of cubic-shaped freezing cells opening downwardly so as to grow cubic ice pieces in the freezing cells. Further, ice making machines for continuously manufacturing sheet ice and small pieces of crush ice, and auger type ice making machines for continuously manufacturing flake-shaped ice pieces have been put into practice.
In former various kinds of ice making machines, an ice making section where ice bodies such as cubic ice pieces, sheet ice and the like are formed is generally made of a metal having good thermal conductivity, and surfaces thereof are tin plated. Such tin plating is carried out for prevention of corrosion of metals so that tin itself does not possess any antibacterial property and bactericidal effect. More specifically, although the possibility wherein various kinds of bacteria mixed in raw water used for ice making increase during ice making operation is very few, there is a danger of ice bodies containing such various bacteria being manufactured. Further, in a type of ice making machines where an ice making water is circulated, there is a problem in terms of hygiene because it is adequately possible that various bacteria increase under high temperature conditions after the ice making operation is stopped.